"Sorry, I was hungry." Why do we get angry when we are hungry?
I consider myself an affable, reasonable, understanding and balanced person... except when I am hungry. At that time, my patience evaporates, my tolerance falters and any inconvenience becomes a personal affront. When my stomach roars with hunger, within minutes, my most primal self emerges and my sole purpose in life is to put a slice of pizza in my mouth. Anything that gets in the way of that becomes a cause for anger. And I'm not the only one. It's happened to you too. To my mother, to your partner, to that co-worker who suddenly becomes irascible in the middle of the morning.
It's funny how hunger makes us angry. That's a fact. But there are reasons as surprising as they are unavoidable that explain it. Let's see, then, what's really going on inside our bodies. Why does hunger have the power to change our moods so drastically?
Decrease in blood glucose
The brain depends almost exclusively on glucose as a source of energy. It is the "gasoline" it needs to function properly. When we go for a long time without eating, our glucose levels drop and the brain suffers. This hypoglycemia causes the brain to not function at 100%. You have probably felt more clumsy, tired, confused and, of course, more irritable when you have not eaten for a long time.
Stress hormone is triggered
When blood glucose levels decrease, the brain activates signals that stimulate different organs to produce and release hormones responsible for raising blood sugar levels in the body. Among these hormones are epinephrine and cortisol, also released in times of stress, which prepare the body to face adverse situations, increasing tension and the predisposition to react aggressively. This biological mechanism explains why we feel more tense and unpleasant when we are hungry.
The brain prioritizes foraging
From an evolutionary perspective, hunger activates a survival state in the brain. This state drives us to focus on obtaining food, leaving other activities in the background. This focus can lead to lower tolerance and greater irritability towards stimuli that are not related to food. This response is an adaptive strategy to ensure the intake necessary for survival.
Negative perception of the environment
The state of hunger not only affects our physiological functions, but also our perception of the environment. According to a study, published in the journal PLOS ONE in 2022, researchers found that when a person is hungry, he or she is more likely to interpret external cues negatively, which increases irritability and feelings of anger. In addition, low blood glucose levels were found to be associated with increased feelings of frustration and a decreased ability to regulate emotions. These findings suggest that hunger may distort our evaluation of situations and people, intensifying emotional reactions.
Has this happened to you?
The next time you feel that hunger turns you into a less friendly version of yourself, remember that there are biological and psychological underpinnings behind that reaction. Understanding these mechanisms can help us better manage our emotions and avoid unnecessary conflict.
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